Webb County Jail Inmate Noe Cantu-Covarrubias Dies on 12/13/24
Noe Cantu-Covarrubias was 58 years old when he was booked into Webb County Jail on November 4, 2024. The Webb County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report (CDR) about Mr. Cantu-Covarrubias on December 13, 2024, the day he was pronounced deceased. The CDR shows that he died of natural causes and that an autopsy was not planned. Mr. Cantu-Covarrubias had been transported to Laredo Medical Center after he was found unresponsive in the jail’s medical department at 5:19 AM. Dr. Chen at Laredo Medical Center said that the inmate had died of a possible aneurysm at 7:42 AM on the same day the medical emergency occurred.
While in the jail, he received treatment for the condition that caused his death, a pre-existing condition. The CDR also shows that Mr. Cantu-Covarrubias made suicidal statements and exhibited mental and medical health problems during intake.
The address of Webb County Jail is 1001 Washington Street in Laredo, Texas 78042. The inmate capacity of the jail is 570.
Jails Can Be Held Accountable for Preventable Deaths
Sheriffs and other jail administrators have a responsibility to protect jail detainees in Texas counties and municipalities from preventable deaths. It is only natural that a percentage of inmates will die from medical conditions while they are incarcerated. But suppose the jail staff showed indifference to the sufferings of an inmate or failed to operate according to suicide prevention guidelines. In that case, it is possible that jail neglect was a contributing factor to a custodial death. In such cases, the family of the deceased can seek justice for the death of their loved one.
Two Recent Deaths in Webb County Jail May Have Been the Result of Neglect
All jail deaths are subjected to investigation. If the cause of an inmate’s death was sepsis or suicide, possible jail neglect should automatically be considered. At Webb County Jail, a 34-year-old male died from sepsis in 2021 due to infected drug injection sites. The tragedy is that most deaths caused by sepsis can be prevented by simply administering antibiotics in a timely manner. Details of another recent and possibly preventable death at Webb County Jail follow.
A Suicidal Detainee Dies After His Second Attempt at Suicide in 2 Days
A 67-year-old inmate was arrested in April 2022. At the time of booking into Webb County Jail, he made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health problems. Both are red flags indicating that the inmate is at a high risk for suicide. Detainees who are possibly suicidal should be placed under heightened supervision in which they are observed every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes at most. On the man’s fifth day in jail, he jumped off a fixed barrier onto his head. After being evaluated at a local hospital, he was returned to his single-occupancy cell.
On his sixth day in jail, the CDR indicates that he was found unresponsive in Cell 111. He died from asphyxia due to deliberately impacting an occlusive food in the bolus in his posterior oropharynx and upper airway and choking—in this way, he committed suicide and died on the eighth day of his incarceration.
Seeking Justice for Jail Deaths Linked to Neglect
Incarceration does not strip individuals of their basic rights. If you believe a loved one passed away in a Texas jail due to neglect or mistreatment, it’s crucial to act quickly. Contact the Law Offices of Dean Malone for help. Our firm is dedicated to pursuing justice for those affected by jail deaths, with a team experienced in handling these sensitive cases.
We also assist former detainees who have endured significant injuries caused by neglect during their time in custody. Contact us anytime via phone, text, or our online form. We’re available 24/7 and committed to asserting the rights of inmates and their families.
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